Surprise findings in respiratory illness report

The rate of hospital admission for patients with respiratory illness in South Australia's south east is among the highest in the country, according to a new study.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report compared admission rates for asthma and other chronic diseases, including bronchitis and emphysema, across the country.

Incidence rates are up to seven times higher in Adelaide's outer suburbs compared to the city centre and are also high in the Mid North and Riverland.

The Institute's Nigel Harding says it is not known exactly why the hospital admission rates are up to three times higher than average in some country areas.

"In the broad we found that the inland and rural areas had higher rates. There were some anomalies and one of them is Adelaide and the surrounding areas," he said.

"The Adelaide Hills has very low hospitalisation rates. Central Adelaide has lowish, if I can put it that way, but completely surrounding Adelaide has very high hospitalisation rates.

"In the very far south-east corner of South Australia, the area around Mount Gambier, it was high, as high as those areas surrounding Adelaide.

"We know that the socio-economic status accounts for up to half of the variation but there are a lot of other things feeding into it as well.

"We know remoteness has a contribution, also indigenous status.

"Some of the reasons we know are a factor but haven't had the opportunity to look into include smoking... there are pollution concerns, pollutions known to trigger asthma and allergic triggers as well."